American Red Cross Disaster Newsroom

Will the Red Cross be providing financial assistance to those affected?
Our caseworkers will meet one-on-one with clients to help them by providing access to resources and tools to support their recovery process. Caseworkers use a variety of methods to meet client needs including referrals to government and community programs, distribution of supplies, recovery planning and financial assistance. Casework may or may not result in financial assistance.

Why doesn’t the Red Cross accept donations of clothing and other small items?
Our primary focus after a disaster is getting help to large numbers of people in a short amount of time. We try to focus our workers on that goal and often don’t have the resources that it takes to sort, process, store and transport small donations. In addition, we want to be consistent in the help we give to disaster victims and cash donations allow us to purchase large quantities of goods that help us do that. Financial donations also help us meet any specific needs a disaster client might have.

How big is the Red Cross response to this disaster?
More than half of the country – from North Dakota to the East Coast – has been affected by severe weather since March and flood watches and warnings are still occurring. Red Cross disaster workers are helping people all across the country, making sure they have a safe place to stay, food to eat, emotional support, basic health services and relief supplies. These latest storms have resulted in large responses in Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Missouri, Georgia, Virginia and Arkansas.

Is the Red Cross involved in search and rescue/recovery operations?
The Red Cross provides a number of services during a disaster—including feeding and sheltering thousands of people—but a successful relief operation must involve more than one organization. It’s important to remember that large disasters are bigger than any one organization. It’s going to take all of us together to help the people affected by these storms. Services such as providing transportation for evacuees, search and rescue, advanced medical care, and medical sheltering are best performed by government agencies or organizations that have the resources, the trained workers, and the expertise to carry out those functions.